


Skyfire and the Snow Queen

by OverlordRaax



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairytale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Eventual Happy Ending, Fairytales with giant transforming robots, M/M, Magic Curses, Snow Queen Elements, Swashbuckling adventure, True Love, robot romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-05-26 11:37:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15000077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OverlordRaax/pseuds/OverlordRaax
Summary: Skyfire is put under a curse by an evil Snow Queen in order to save Starscream's life. Now he must stay with her for all eternity, until a dashing knight can come to his rescue... or the next available person.





	1. The Bargain

**Author's Note:**

> Basically! While Hidden Director and I were chatting we somehow came up with this AU and then I started writing it? I don't know how this happened it just kinda did.
> 
> I would like to thank both HiddenDirector and Pink_Shoes for their help on this fic.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skyfire and Starscream end up at a strange castle, but a terrible fate befalls them.

Skyfire cradled the seeker in his arms, trying to wrap his cape around Starscream’s body. No matter what he did Starscream would not stop shivering, his entire body turning into ice, and nothing Skyfire could do would stop it. The ice only continued to spread around the seekers frame.

“Starscream, please hold on.” Skyfire kept saying, but there was nothing he could do. It hurt to hold the seeker, but no matter what he still held him close. He knelt in the giant tower, in this castle made of cobwebs and ice.

“He deserves his fate.” A cold voice said. The ruler of the ice palace they had stumbled across. “He tried to steal the treasure from my castle. For that his body shall turn to ice and his heart will be mine.”

“We did not know. He would not have done it if we had known. Please, I beg of you, spare him.” Skyfire said.

“All who try to steal from my palace receive the same fate.”

“Then take me instead,” Skyfire begged. “Please, I’ll do anything.”

“Would you really do anything for this miserable creature?” The sharp voice said.

“Yes, I would.” Skyfire lowered his head to rest on Starscream’s.

The black and purple spidery figure prowled around the castle, its bright purple optics gazed at him, considering the shuttle.

“Are you willing to take his place?”

“Yes…” Skyfire whispered.

“His heart is already covered in ice, to save him you must give up the warmth from your own heart to thaw his. He shall awaken and be free to go, but all memory of you will be gone from his heart. You will stay here as my servant, for as long as there is any ice in his heart. Do you agree to these terms?”

The shuttle took one last look at the seeker before he made his decision.

“Yes.”

“Then the deal is struck.”

And Skyfire felt a terrible cold pierce his spark, like a shard of ice had pierced through his chest. It felt like it drained his entire system of all its warmth but as he looked at Starscream he saw the ice recede from his frame. The seeker stopped trembling and finally colour started to return. He stared to stir, and Skyfire felt so relieved at seeing him recover.

“Oh Starscream,” he cried, even though the tears that ran down his face felt cold rather than hot.

“Leave him outside and come back here. He will wake up soon, and then he shall depart. He must not see you when he wakes.”

Skyfire stumbled, he couldn’t bare the thought of leaving Starscream by himself, but at least he knew Starscream was now safe. That was all that mattered, more than himself. He stood up and took the seeker outside.

-

Starscream woke up, lying on the snowy ground, he looked around, unable to remember where he had just been. Some sort of odd dream lingered at the back of his mind, but the more he tried to remember anything from it the faster it went away. He was certain he hadn’t just been sleeping in the middle of a snow-covered field for no reason, but as he looked around he saw nothing. There was no one. He was certain he had come all this way alone, but why did that feel… wrong?

He stood up and brushed himself off. It was far too cold, wherever here was. He decided he needed to get away from this place as soon as possible. As he transformed and flew off he couldn’t help but feel there was something wrong with his spark.

-

Skyfire watched from the palaces windows as the seeker flew off, he held his hand over his spark, feeling the warmth being siphoned to keep Starscream’s going. He wished he could have said goodbye but he was happy that Starscream was alive. That was all that mattered to him, he told himself.

“Come, my servant,” the voice called to him.

“Yes, my queen.” Skyfire said, looking outside for the last time before he followed the spidery figure into the castle. Realising he would never set foot outside again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be more soon once the next chapter is written. Will Starscream and Skyfire be reunited? We'll just have to see.


	2. Skyfire's Servitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skyfire is introduced to his new life in Airachnid's castle, getting used to his new life away from Starscream. And he meets another new mysterious figure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was finished a bit late, been working a lot on my corrupted monster transformer AU which is currently in the works. But it's nice to get this next bit done.
> 
> I'd like to thank HiddenDirector and Pink_Shoes for their help discussing this fic and coming up with ideas for this AU. It's been super fun discussing ideas for this story and devising stuff.   
> HD proofread the chapter for me and also wrote some of the initial dialogue between Blackarachnia and Airachnid when they first meet. Also her more extensive knowledge of TFA and TFP was a big help for writing the two of them (I honestly wasn't sure writing their characters so HD and Pink Shoes were both a big help).

Skyfire followed Airachnid as she showed him the ice castle. The spider terrified him, but he listened carefully to each of her instructions and the duties that were now his. With each step into the castle, he felt his freedom slowly get further away.

He was shown multiple grand rooms. One full of rare treasures, a grand throne room lined with arches, and then there was the room where the sorceress performed all her magic and spells. She insisted he was never to go in there without her permission.

Then he followed her as they descended down the stairs, the walls more gradually filling up with cobwebs as they reached the lower levels of the castle. There was an odd, disturbing air about the place; it almost felt like Skyfire was being led towards a dungeon.

Airachnid opened a door, and Skyfire stepped inside. The room was small and circular and carved out of stone. The only notable thing was a grated hole in the floor. From inside Skyfire could hear scuttling, and a set of strange gangly calls and noises. Airachnid walked over to it, waving her hand as she walked by. “These need feeding, once a day will suffice. These creatures are quite ravenous. They’ll eat anything. Don’t fall in.”

Skyfire gulped. “I won’t.”

Airachnid continued out the room. Skyfire went to follow. As he did, he passed the grating. He saw a few sets of eyes watching him from there. As one of them tried reaching for him, the light caught its frame, and he saw the odd insect-like look of the creature.

He hastened to catch up to Airachnid, desperate to get as far away from the creature as possible. “My queen, can I ask… what were those things?”

“They are servants that failed me in the past,” Airachnid said, sliding behind Skyfire. “I’m sure you won’t, will you?”

Skyfire shuddered. “No, of course not, ma’am.”

Airachnid gave a sharp smile as she stared back at him. “I look forward to seeing how you do.”

-

The servants Airachnid normally managed to claim were thieves, scoundrels and the desperate. Wanderers and criminals who stumbled into her palace and brazenly tried to steal her treasures before they realised their mistake. Skyfire was none of these things. She had never had so selfless a servant before. When she had watched from the shadows and seen the seeker hide one of her rubies and an emerald under his cape she felt she knew exactly what type of servant he would be. She hadn’t expected the shuttle so beg so passionately for his life and that he would be the one now bound to her in servitude.

The shuttle was different from all the other servants she had taken before. He was considerate and careful and quiet. She was almost unsure what to do with him. He obeyed each of her orders diligently. He cleaned the palace, he would help move her equipment and experiments.

He mostly stayed quiet when not directly responding to her orders. He read the books in her library, not like some others who had hoped to pillage the knowledge or find some sort of spell they could use to turn on her, but because he genuinely enjoyed reading them. She discovered he had skills in science and alchemy, so she recruited him to help with her spells. There were those who would come to her asking for spells and curses. She would bestow them on those who came, but always at a price, and there were terrible consequences for those that did not pay. He polished the icy statues of other thieves who had tried to steal from her. Always he would do precisely as she ordered. His form as a shuttle was also useful when she needed to get supplies or visit some far away location. It was the only time she would let him out of the castle.

He never once complained or spoke out. He was apparently driven just by the knowledge that the one he had given up his freedom for was safe. Airachnid could not understand it.

Airachnid normally enjoyed toying with her servants, messing with them to see what would get them angry and riled up. But no matter what Skyfire always seemed to be patient and calm. He never rose to anything Airachnid did. He was so loyal it was almost boring to deal with. Apparently, his devotion to the one whose heart he kept safe was just that strong.

She had been lucky to obtain him. She had known that if that seeker had managed to see Skyfire when he had awakened then his memories would have instantly returned and the spell would have broken. She would have lost her chance to have any servants at all. Luckily, they had been separated before the seeker had managed to wake, and now that it was clear he was never returning. Airachnid could keep the shuttle as her servant forever.

-

Outside, Skyfire told himself he was content. He had saved Starscream’s life, and his love was now free. This would be all he needed to keep him happy, and he kept this knowledge at the front of his spark.

And yet, when he was on his own, sitting in his chambers in the icy castle surrounded by the pervasive chill of the palace that never went away, he remembered how he was stuck here. He would never see his love or anyone he cared about ever again. He was tethered to the palace, and he knew he would never be able to leave. A terrible loneliness overtook him, but he hid it from the outside world as much as he could. He leaned back on his berth and tried to ignore the icy sting that lingered in his spark.

He took off a little brooch he had on his cape and looked at it. It was in the shape of a shooting star across the sky. His was only one half of it, the two pieces would connect together to have two shooting stars intertwining with each other. Starscream had the other half, and this single piece of jewelry was now all that he had left of the one he loved most.

He curled up on the berth, his hands around his spark. He hoped he could feel something of Starscream, or that Starscream could feel something of him.

-

Millions of years passed, and Skyfire stayed forever the faithful servant that he was. With how locked away he was he was almost oblivious to the passage of time. Airachnid did what she could to keep Skyfire locked away so he would forget the outside world, but always she would see him gaze longingly out in the wintery tundra when he could.

One day Skyfire was in one of the chambers, sweeping when he heard a noise behind him. There was scuttling across the ceiling. He did not look up, knowing it was Airachnid probably ready to give him new orders. He gave a sigh before he decided to turn round, and the spider he saw looking down at him was definitely not Airachnid.

He screamed and fell back. This one had a set of red optics rather than Airachnid’s purple. They belonged to a giant black, gold and purple spider, who crawled across the ceiling.

Skyfire panicked. He knew Airachnid would be furious at him for letting an intruder just wander straight into the castle. He picked up his broom and aimed it in the spiderformers direction.

“Get out! Go away!” he shouted. From behind him, he heard Airachnid’s voice.

“What is all this noise?” asked Airachnid as she crawled across the ceiling.

“My Queen! There’s an intruder. I don’t know how they got in. I tried to scare them off, but-”

“That’s no intruder, you fool. It’s my sister.”

Skyfire’s optics recalibrated.

“Your sister?”

The other spiderformer dropped from the ceiling, transforming into her root mode.

“Blackarachnia, of the West Forest,” Airachnid announced.

“So you’ve picked up a new servant, I see,” Blackarachnia said, her four glowing red eyes watching Skyfire. “At least this one didn’t shoot at me.”

“And you _still_ owe me a new servant for that.”

“It was your fault, and you got a new one on your own.”

Skyfire was watching, completely dumbstruck. He could hardly handle one spider witch queen, let alone two.

The two sisters seemed to bicker and jab at each other. Airachnid looked the most displeased Skyfire had ever seen her; the fake smile she was wearing on her face seemed so obvious.

She sharply turned her head and snapped her fingers. “Skyfire, get us some refreshments right away.”

Skyfire stood up and bowed. “Yes, my queen.” Then the shuttle quickly made his way out of the room as fast as possible, quite happy to be away from both of them.

-

Blackarachnia watched the shuttle as he left. He seemed quite different from one of Airachnid’s normal servants. The ones she normally picked up seemed to be just as unscrupulous as Airachnid herself. The soft-spoken tones of the shuttle seemed at odds with what she normally saw.

She wondered how her sister had managed to obtain him.

“So, to what pleasure do I owe your visit, my dear sister?” Airachnid asked.

“I merely came to see how things were for you. Can I not come by to see how my sibling is doing?”

Airachnid scoffed. “Things have been going very well, my sister. My experiments have been going especially so. Only the other day I created a new poison from a set of samples Skyfire retrieved for me.”

“Very charming,” Blackarachnia smiled.

“It leads to some interesting effects when it’s consumed, I’m sure you’ll love it.”

As Airachnid continued to explain, the shuttle arrived back. He was carrying a tray with some energon and two goblets. He approached Airachnid and filled her drink. Blackarachnia watched him. He still seemed so silent and timid. Such an odd demeanour, she thought. She would have thought with the size of the shuttle he’d make the perfect warrior or bodyguard, but it felt like he wouldn’t be very good at any of those at all. Blackarachnia was starting to wonder what he had done to end up here. Airachnid’s servants were never good people, there had to be some secret behind this one’s behaviour.

As he came over to her to hand her a drink, Blackarachnia decided to ask. “How did Airachnid acquire you?”

Skyfire placed a goblet by her side. “I… I chose to stay here willingly.”

Blackarachnia laughed. “When has anyone chosen to stay with my sister willingly?”

The shuttles plating tensed. He remained still for a second before he carried on. “I… I did it to save someone very dear to me, someone who would have died if I hadn’t given my life,” he said, “I would rather they were safe, even if it means I will not be able to see them.”

Blackarachnia found that hard to believe. He was probably making it all up, trying to fish for sympathy with his plight. She didn’t know anyone who had been drawn to Airachnid’s lair that didn’t have some sort of dark secret or history. The shuttle was probably no exception. She decided to go back to her drink of energon.

After a moment Skyfire looked down and silently went back to his work. Airachnid’s eyes traced his movement all the way. “Skyfire, this room is hardly fit for visitors. You should have finished cleaning it by now. Get back to your work.”

”Of course, my queen,” the shuttle said monotonously.

“As you can see my sister, he’s quite an obedient thing. Always does whatever he’s told.”

Blackarachnia watched as the shuttle silently continued on with his work. She was still unsure about him.

-

Blackarachnia visited the castle frequently. Always Skyfire greeted her warmly. The more often she visited, the more she saw the shuttles sincerity. She gradually started to realise he wasn’t being sarcastic when he said, “Lady Blackarachnia, it’s good to see you.”

Every time she arrived, his smile got thinner. His optics looked a little dimmer. He would often go silent, and his hand would go to the plating over his spark chamber. It seemed this was becoming more and more common. Each time she visited it seemed he was slipping bit by bit.

There were other little things. The way he would shudder whenever Airachnid entered the room. He never spoke out against her, but she could sense something in his field whenever Airachnid was near.

Skyfire rarely spoke, especially when Airachnid herself was present. When he did, though, she heard him talk enthusiastically when the conversation drifted onto alchemy or the sciences. Blackarachnia had a natural interest in the organic world (especially for their use in spells and creating poisons), and it seemed once Skyfire was able to speak about those he would suddenly become quite talkative. He once spoke at length on a particular type of spider he and his partner had found whilst exploring another continent, and then the moment Airachnid entered the room his entire demeanour changed, and he went silent.

“What might you be talking about together? She’s not inciting you to plot against me, is she?” Airachnid said.

“No, my queen, of course not. I would not dream of such a thing,” Skyfire said, instantly pretending to get back to work and moving Airachnid’s potions to their rightful places.

“He was just telling me about some discoveries he made with his old partner,” Blackarachnia said.

“Oh yes, that cowardly sniveling seeker,” Airachnid said. Skyfire suddenly froze. “He was a pathetic little creature. Though he would have made the most amusing statue.”

They both stopped as an almighty crash resounded through the hall. The two spiderformers turned to see Skyfire had dropped the potions he was carrying. There was smashed glass on the ground.

He stood there, frozen in shock for a moment, and then his optics blazed.

“How… how _dare_ you say that!” the shuttle’s shout reverberated throughout the hall and he strode towards her, raising his fist as if to grab her. Airachnid didn’t even react as she simply raised her hand and suddenly Skyfire stopped dead in his tracks, clutching at his chest.

“I don’t appreciate your outburst, Skyfire,” Airachnid said. “I could turn you into another Insecticon for your disobedience, or… I could simply freeze over your lover’s heart right now. Do you want that?”

A pained look entered the shuttle’s face as ice started to appear around his spark. “No… please… not that…” The shuttle fell to his knees as the ice continued to spread further. “Please don’t do that to him!”

“What do you say for trying to strike your lady?”

“I’m sorry! I apologise, my Queen! It won’t happen again!”

“Very well then,” Airachnid said, and she waved her hand again. The ice around Skyfire’s heart finally started to recede, and Skyfire curled around himself. His head pressed to the floor. A large set of sobs came from the shuttle as he stayed curled up. The shuttle was huge, but now like this, he suddenly looked immensely small and fragile.

“Come on, my sister, let’s retire somewhere else. This room is suddenly a bit too dreary.” Airachnid led the way out of the room. Blackarachnia followed, but she turned back to face the broken shuttle. It seemed right there to be the very image of grief.

“And Skyfire,” Airachnid started, “I want that mess you made cleared up by the time I get back, or there will be further consequences.”

Skyfire collected himself enough to speak, though he didn’t move from his position. “Yes, my queen…”

And with that Airachnid left, and after a moment Blackarachnia followed behind. Once the door was closed, Blackarachnia turned to her sister. “How long is it until Skyfire repays his debt to you?”

In response, Airachnid simply laughed. “Oh, never. Skyfire agreed to stay here for all eternity.”

Blackarachnia’s multiple optics widened.

“What?”

“Skyfire agreed to stay here in order to save the life of that pitiful seeker. He is going to stay here for as long as I keep the curse on his partners spark.”

“Even though he’s done nothing but serve you faithfully, you still keep him locked away here.”

“He is far too valuable. I’d never want to let him go. I’ve never had a more reliable and trustworthy servant.”

“At some point, the love that keeps his heart going will be overtaken by grief, and then you will have a servant no longer.”

“You can’t act morally superior. I know you do the same with people who try to steal and cheat from you as well.”

“I prefer punishing those who deserve it, Airachnid, not someone who would make so selfless a sacrifice,” Blackarachnia said sharply. Airachnid stopped and looked back at her. Blackarachnia continued. “It wouldn’t take anything for you to remove the ice in his lover’s heart and let him go. He must surely have paid back whatever was originally stolen from you by now.”

“It’s none of your concern what I do with my servants. I shall keep him for as long as I want.”

Blackarachnia’s optics narrowed. She didn’t say anything more, but she started to think.

-

Soon Blackarachnia bid farewell, giving a fake taunting smile as she left. “It was lovely to see you again, sister, as always.”

Airachnid scowled at her. “As always.”

Blackarachnia turned to Skyfire. The shuttle stood meekly in the corner. It was almost as if the hope had completely gone from his optics.

“It was pleasant to see you again, ma’am,” He graciously bowed, and Blackarachnia nodded.

“I’m sure I will hear from you again soon.” And with that, she left, already formulating a plan in her head.

-

Blackarachnia returned to her own fortress, deep in the Great Forest, and she started planning. She had always believed in punishing those who deserved it, but she had seen that the shuttle had done no wrong to anyone. Airachnid enjoyed tormenting anyone, whether they deserved it or not.

However, of course, she could not be seen to be acting against another witch. But this did not mean there weren’t ways of orchestrating a rescue.

In stories, it was always the role of a knight in shining armour to save the one who was trapped in a castle. Normally it was easy to simply find someone, give them a sword and say they had a heroic destiny all along. Right now, Blackarachnia decided she needed someone like that to be the hero for Skyfire. The question was simply ‘Who?’

In her lair in the Great Forest, she sold potions and charms to those who needed them. Often ones that helped subtly manipulate someone’s fate towards a new goal, though those came at a very high price. But her connection to the web of fate had its advantages. It seemed she just needed someone to be her suitable champion to save the day.

-

Jazz was one of Blackarachnia’s regular customers. A high ranking member of the Autobot Knights, he always came looking for charms of protection and good luck for one of his missions. His dealings with her were kept a secret from his compatriots; it would not do well to see one of Optimus Prime’s upstanding, righteous heroes dealing with one of the dark witches. But the important thing was that he always paid. He was one of her favourite customers.

As he entered into her palace, he kept his familiar, charming smile, taking off his hat and gesturing in a grand bow. “Hello my fair lady, it’s always a pleasure to see you,” he said as he reached forward and took her hand and placed a kiss on it.

“And to what do I owe your visit today?” Blackarachnia smiled.

“I am in need of some of the finest spells that you can provide,” Jazz said smoothly. “I have a mission coming up. I need protection charms for all of my men to keep them as safe as possible on the journey.”

Blackarachnia smiled, as a plan formed in her head. “Of course I can supply those for you.”

One of the Autobots would be perfect as her champion. They were a set of Knights who claimed to serve justice and protect the downtrodden. Many in their ranks were celebrated as heroes. One of them would be perfect to be her knight in shining armour.

When Blackarachnia made the protection charms, she put a special spell in one of them. Whoever wore that specific charm would have their fate swayed so they would end up at Airachnid’s castle and become the one destined to rescue Skyfire. Any one of the Autobots finest knights would suit her needs. Her plan was perfect.

She gave Jazz the charms he promised, and he paid in full. Not just with gold, but with a few items she could use for spells, and one or two secrets. Secrets, even small ones held as much power in them as any spell.

“Thank you kindly, ma’am.” He always bowed and gave his charming and cunning smile.

As he left Blackarachnia felt sure, and certain her heroic savior was now in hand. All she would have to do now was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Blackarachnia's amazing plan goes wrong when the charm ends up in the hands of the worst candidate possible. Tune in for more mishaps and mayhem.


	3. The Adventurer's Arrive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blackarachnia's plan comes into effect, and an Autobot adventuring party manages to find itself in the vicinity of Airachnid's castle. But only one of them will have the task of heading to Airachnid's castle to save Skyfire?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess this can count as a late Christmas release?
> 
> Sorry this chapter took a bit of a while to get up. You can probably guess I've been busy with Corruption AU stuff but I will try and carry on with this AU when I can. Thanks to the one commenter who reminded me to work on this story and get on with it, that caused me to look back on my drafts for this chapter and finish it.

The Autobot adventuring party had not gone according to plan. Jazz had led the Autobots on what was supposed to be a simple mission to find an ancient magic sword to use against the Decepticons. However, on the way over they’d run into an arctic storm and been driven off course. Luckily, they had found the entrance to some sort of cave. With the storm it seemed they had no choice but to continue, so Jazz led Bumblebee, Bluestreak, Prowl, Hound and Cliffjumper, some of their finest and bravest adventurers. And also Perceptor, who was there for assistance.

Jazz had divvied out the protective charms to all of them before they'd set off. But now they'd ended up trapped. Jazz was starting to think he was going to ask Blackarachnia for his money back.

He knew this cave was dangerously close to the castle of the other dark witch who ruled these parts. She was known throughout the land for her ruthlessness, spoken of in sparkling stories as one who would curse anyone who was found intruding in her territory. There were also legends of the huge mech she kept as a bodyguard; taller than any other bot in existence and probably capable of tearing anyone in half. For that reason Jazz was feeling very cautious right now.

“Alright, nobody touch anything!” he said, as they walked through the caves. He was worried about what might possibly be hidden here. Cobwebs lined the walls, he had a feeling they weren't simply old and discarded, but ready to alert the castles owner of intruders if they were given a mere touch. “This is where the cave tunnels connect to Queen Airachnid's castle. It’s best not to touch anything. She’s apparently not very forgiving to intruders.”

“I hear she’ll tie up in a web and then save you for later,” Cliffjumper said.

“I’ve heard she freezes anyone that tries to steal from her, and then she keeps them as a statue in her grand hall,” Bluestreak said.

“And she’s got an army of insects that’ll gobble you up,” Bumblebee said.

“Oh dear, that sounds rather frightening.” Perceptor said.

“Which is why I said not to touch anything,” Jazz said. “Once we’re through these tunnels, we should be just on the outskirts of Crystal City.”

-

They kept on going until they reached a huge chasm, there was huge drop, so far down no one could see to the bottom. It looked like an endless pit. The only way to get across seemed to be the long thick strands of webbings they'd have to climb across.

"Alright, we'll take it one at a time and try and get across. No one make any sudden movements or it could alert someone."

"Or something." one of them unhelpfully added.

They made it across, one by one. The thick strands were sturdier than they looked, and managed to take their weights. There were even other webs they could all grab onto. It was almost like a rope bridge. Though Jazz insisted everyone go one and a time. Unfortunately it was starting to look like he should have let Perceptor go through earlier, as the microscope was struggling to make it across. He was desperately grasping to the webbing rather than moving at the moment.

"Come on Percy, you can do it," Jazz shouted.

"We don't have all day." Cliffjumper shouted.

"It's just... I'm entirely terrified I'll slip and smash into many, many pieces." Perceptor said as the webbing wobbled under him.

"Just give it a try Percy, it'll be alright," Bumblebee said. "Come on, nothing's gonna happen."

"Okay... I'll try..." and with that Percy tried taking one tentative step forward.

"Oh come on!" Cliffjumper shouted. "Just do it already!" And with that the red minbot stamped his foot on the ground.

The movement shook the cave and suddenly Perceptor found himself swinging wildly before the movement caused him to let go of the web, and he fell into the chasm.

"Oh..." Cliffjumper said "Whoops."

-

Perceptor fell and fell. The chasm seemed never ending. He fell through one of the tiny tunnel like entrances that lined the chasms wall. Continuing to fall as the tunnel seemed to swallow him up. He slid through cobwebs that stuck to his plating and began to wrap around him. He tumbled out of the tunnel and hit the icy floor with a harsh thud. He tried to get up but found all the webs had successfully cocooned him and kept him held down. No matter what he did he couldn't break out of them.

He had fallen into a perfectly dark cave. He couldn't see anything. But suddenly he saw the gaze of a thousand different optics all fall on him, and in unison they said the same thing.

"Food!"

The swarm started to get closer towards him, he heard the scuttling of feet across the ground and in the darkness saw some misshapen creatures getting closer towards him.

“Food! _Food_!” Came a chorus of shrill voices. He saw some strange bright yellow eyes in the darkness and heard the things all crawling towards him.

“Food! _Food_!”

Perceptor started to panic more as the creatures started to swarm around him. He switched off his optics and braced himself to get eaten.

Then there was a sudden loud creak, and he looked up to see a metal hatch in the ceiling open up. A terrifyingly huge figure descended down the steps, his booming footsteps followed him along with his massive weight. He was a gigantic shuttle, as white as the ice that lined the castle, with a blue cape over his shoulder. Perceptor gulped, this must be the keeper of the castle, and he seemed to be even more terrifying as he got closer. He was carrying a huge dish in his hands as he came down the steps.

“Calm down!” Came his voice, “What’s all this noise?”

The mech looked up and his blue optics caught sight of Perceptor.

“Oh my word.” the shuttle said and walked over to Perceptor. “What’s going on here?”

“Food! _Food_!” The Insecticons chanted.

“No, he’s not food,” the mech said, he turned round and started waving the creatures away, “Come on now, shoo!”

“But food! _Food_! We need food! _Food_!”

“Yes, yes, I’ve got food. Don’t worry.” He reached his hand into the bowl and scattered some tiny energon treats onto the floor. The creatures all scrambled and tried to gobble them up as the large mech kept throwing handfuls across the room.

One, however, leaped up and tried to get the dish in the shuttles hands.

The shuttle stood up.

“No! Kickback, no! Don’t do that!” The shuttle gave him such an authoritative stare the creature backed down from him.

“Food? _Food?”_ It pleaded.

“Alright, here you go.” And he threw down a couple of treats for it. The insecticon hurriedly gobbled them up. Finally the shuttle turned back to Perceptor, who had mostly been watching things unfold in a state of shock.

“I’m really sorry about that. Here, let me help you.” And the mech picked up the microscope effortlessly and carried him under his arms as the Insecticons continued munching on their rations.

After they went up the steps the shuttle closed the grate and started trying to untangle some of the webbing around Perceptor.

“Are you alright?” The huge mech asked as he brushed off Perceptors cape, “You aren’t hurt, are you?”

“No, no, I’m quite alright,” Perceptor said, still quite dazed. “I must say, you’re not quite what I was expecting for someone who runs an evil ice castle.”

The shuttles optics widened in surprise.

“Oh no, I’m not the one who runs this castle, it’s…”

The shuttle was interrupted as they both heard a voice echoing from somewhere down the hall.

“Skyfire, what’s that noise?” A cold voice called. The shuttles plating stiffened and he quickly grabbed the microscope and picked him up.

“Hey! What are you doing?” Perceptor meekly kicked his legs as the shuttle carried him.

“We can’t let her see you,” and he plonked Perceptor down behind one of the pillars. “Stay here and don’t make a sound.”

Perceptor peaked his head out from behind the pillar as he saw the figure he’d been warned about. The black and purple spider managed to tower over even Skyfire on her large spider like feet. A long black cape trailed behind her. The shuttles plating tensed as she arrived.

As her piercing purple optics surveyed the room Perceptor retreated back behind the pillar and he prayed he hadn’t been seen.

“Skyfire. What was that noise?” the spider asked.

“Nothing, my queen. The insecticons were just a bit more excitable than normal.”

“So long as they didn't cause any mess. See to it you get on with your tasks.”

“Of course, my queen.”

After a moment Perceptor heard the sound of the spider scuttling away. His processor was starting to go into panic. She looked terrifying and she'd probably eat him given half the chance, What was he going to do?

He jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see that shuttle again.

“Are you alright?”

Perceptor nodded meekly.

“Follow me, now she’s gone I can make sure you’ll be hidden.”

Perceptor cautiously followed as the shuttle led the way. Perceptor plating wouldn’t stop rattling, partly from the sheer terror he had being trapped in this castle and partly from how cold it was. His short cape wasn’t quite right for this weather.

The shuttle checked every corridor and turn before he’s beckon Perceptor to follow.

“You never know if she’s still keeping an eye,” the shuttle mumbled.

Finally they reached a door, the shuttle carefully opened it and ducked his head as he stepped inside.

“In here.”

Perceptor stepped into what was clearly the shuttles living quarters, with one oversized berth in the corner. The rest of the room only had a few bare essentials. There was a small table with a few little experiments and books. It seemed the shuttle only had a few personal effects to his name.

"I'm very sorry," The shuttle said, "I didn't introduce myself. I'm Skyfire."

"Perceptor." The microscope said as he stood there, shivering. He was really starting to feel quite cold. The shuttle paused as he saw how jittery Perceptor was.

“Hold on, you can have this.” And with that he got a huge blanket and wrapped it around the microscope. It was so big he was swamped in the material, it managed to wrap around him several times.

“Oh, thank you very much.”

“It’s no worry. Please try and warm yourself. It’s not very easy to do in this place.”

“Thank you kindly.” Perceptor said, taking a seat on the oversized berth. “I must say, you really are the last person I expected to see in such a place as this.”

The shuttle sat down on the opposite side of the berth from him, his legs crossed and he gave a chuckle.

“Yes, I suppose.”

"How exactly did you end up here?" Perceptor asked.

Skyfire sighed.

“It was a long time ago. I was travelling across the land with my bondmate. The two of us were explorers together. We journeyed all across the five kingdoms to discover as much about the world as we could. One day we got lost in the storm and stumbled upon this castle. We found a chamber full to the brim with amazing treasures. Something about it made me uncomfortable, but my bonded tried to sneak some of the treasure out with him. And Queen Airachnid put a curse on his heart." The shuttle paused. "He was freezing and he started turning into ice. I didn't know what to do. Nothing I did was working. I couldn't bare for him to die. I begged her to spare his life, and she did... so long as I stayed here instead."

"Oh my word." Perceptor said.

"I have to stay here, or he'll die. There's still ice in his heart. I have to give up some of the warmth from my heart to stop his from freezing over."

"Oh, that's so terrible. Do you know what happened to your love?"

The shuttles optics dimmed a bit and his melancholy seemed to increase.

"I don't. I know Airanchid's spell made him forget any memories he had of me. So long as he can't remember me the spell will stay in place. He wouldn't even know I'm here. I always used to dream he'd find a way to break his spell and he'd come back for me. But I suppose he never did I sometimes wish I could at least know what did happen to him."

"Heavens, I wondered if anything happened to him during the war..."

"A war? When did that happen?" The shuttle blinked at him.

Perceptor stared at him.

“How long have you been here?” he asked tentatively. The shuttle shifted in his sitting position.

“I’m not sure actually. It’s always hard to tell when you don’t get to go outside very much. You said there was a war? How long has been going on for?"

Perceptor gulped.

“The war’s been raging for four million years.”

Skyfire’s optics stuttered in surprise, before he looked down and gave a shaky laugh.

“Has it really been that long? All the days just seem to blend in with each other.” His hand placed over his spark. “Have I really been trapped here all this time?”

A terrible melancholy descended over the shuttle. His optics dimmed, he went silent as he stared off into the distance. His entire frame seemed consumed by sadness.

Perceptor felt terrible as he watched the change overcome the shuttle. One so gentle and kind as him didn’t deserve such a fate.

Perceptor placed his hand on Skyfire's.

“Please don’t worry. I’m sure there’s a way to break this curse. You say you have to stay here as long as there is ice in your bondmates heart. But if we can remove the ice then surely the curse will be broken and you can leave?”

Skyfire’s head shot up.

“Yes! That would work! If the curse was broken then yes! I could leave!"

"Then I will do what I can to help you."

Skyfire looked at him in surprise.

"Really? You would help me?"

Perceptor smiled.

“Of course. I promise. I shall find your love and find a way to remove the curse from his heart. Please, tell me his name and I shall find him for you.”

Skyfire smiled to match Perceptor’s.

“His name is Starscream.”

The smile on Percy’s face dropped.

“Oh…”

The worry returned to Skyfire’s face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you sure you have the name right? You don’t have him confused with someone else?”

“No, he’s definitely called Starscream. He’s a seeker, red, dark faceplates. He’s graceful in the sky, inquisitive, the most determined bot I’ve ever met, he has a very… ahem… _distinctive_ voice.”

“Ah yes, that does sound like him. Oh dear.”

Skyfire’s servo clutched over his spark again.

“Why? What is it?”

Perceptor looked away.

“The Starscream I know is the second in command of the enemy forces we’re fighting against. He’s ruthless and cunning, vicious and cruel. He has a remarkable thirst for power, and I’ve never known someone as vicious as him in battle.”

“Oh…” Skyfire said, his breathing getting heavier. “No, that can’t be true… He could have a temper but he wasn’t cruel. He cared about knowledge and learning. Even if he seemed abrasive he was always caring…” Skyfire looked down. “It’s just because he has ice in his heart… that’s what it is… he wouldn’t do those things otherwise…”

Perceptor watched Skyfire’s pained expression.

“Skyfire… I know I’ve only ever known Starscream as a warrior, but I believe you. You seem sincere and kind. I believe this Starscream did exist. Maybe the curse did affect him somehow. Perhaps I can find him and tell him you’ve been locked away here. Maybe that will unlock his memories and still break the curse. I will go to him and talk to him.”

“You will?”

“Yes, I promise. After all, he is a former scientist, I’m sure he can listen to reason.”

A smile lit up Skyfire’s face. He reached forward and hugged the tiny mech.

“Thank you! Thank you!”

Perceptor chuckled.

“It’s no worry, after all, you did save me from those insecticons.”

“I’ll help you to escape from here. I know a few ways you can get out of the castle without Airachnid noticing.”

-

Skyfire showed him the way to a crack in the ice caverns wall. He had also given Perceptor a warm cape and some supplies to get through the winter storm.

“This is a shortcut through the labyrinth, it's too small for me to get through, but I'm sure you'll be able to make it out. You should manage to make it out at roughly the same time as your companions. The nearest city isn’t too far from here, you just have to head south.”

“Thank you, for all you’ve done,” Perceptor said.

“It’s no problem. Good luck.” Skyfire said. Just as Perceptor started to head through and then Skyfire spoke again.

“Oh, wait, just one last thing.” Skyfire took off the little star shaped brooch holding his cape up. He stared at it before he passed it to Perceptor.

“This was a present I made for Starscream. It was a symbol of our bond. If you show it to him it might help to jog his memories.”

“Thank you, I’ll make sure nothing happens to this.” Perceptor said as he tucked it safely away in his bag.

“I can’t thank you enough for this.”

“I’ll do my best, I promise.” Perceptor said.

“Good luck,” Skyfire said, he glanced back into the corridor again. “You better get going before Airachnid notices I’m missing.”

Perceptor nodded.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

He headed into the cave, ducking his head and microscope lens as he carried on through the tunnels. Eventually he reached back out into the icy wastes and he wrapped his cape tighter around him.

“Perceptor! There you are!”

Percy turned around to see Jazz just further down the mountainside, Perceptor clambered down until he was with all the other Autobots.

“We were worried about you there. Where did you get to?”

“Oh, just got a bit lost. Nothing much happened.” Perceptor said.

“Well, let’s get going. We’ve still got to get back home.”

“Yes…”

Back home, and then that’s when the real challenge would begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Perceptor pays a visit to the Decepticon castle. He's sure this will go absolutely fine. Right? RIGHT?!


End file.
